A. Definitions of Terms
"Milk" means the lacteal secretion obtained by the milking of one or more females of a mammalian species, such as cow, sheep, goat, water buffalo, or camel. Broadly speaking, such milk is comprised of casein (a phospho-protein) and soluble proteins, lactose, minerals, butterfat (milkfat), and water. The amount of these constituents in the milk may be adjusted by the addition of, or the removal of all or a portion of, any of these constituents. The milk may be homogenized. The term "milk" includes any milk and milk whose content has been adjusted.
Milk obtained by milking one or more cows is referred to as "cow's milk". Cow's milk, whose composition has not been adjusted is referred to herein as "whole milk". It is comprised of casein, whey proteins, lactose, minerals, butterfat (milkfat), and water. As used herein the term "whey proteins" means cow's milk proteins that do not precipitate in conventional cheese making processes. The primary whey proteins are lactalbumins and lactoglobulins. Other whey proteins that are present in significantly smaller concentrations include euglobulin, pseudoglobulin, and immunoglobulins. Cow's milk can be homogenized.
The composition of "cow's milk" can be adjusted by the removal of a portion of or all of any of the constituents of whole milk, or by adding thereto additional amounts of such constituents. The term "skim milk" is applied to cow's milk from which sufficient milkfat has been removed to reduce its milkfat content to less than 0.5 percent by weight. The term "lowfat milk" is applied to cow's milk from which sufficient milkfat has been removed to reduce its milkfat content to the range from about 0.5 to about 2.0 percent by weight.
The additional constituents are generally added to cow's milk in the form of cream, concentrated milk, dry whole milk, skim milk, or nonfat dry milk. "Cream" means the liquid, separated from cow's milk, having a high butterfat content, generally from about 18 to 36 percent by weight. "Concentrated milk" is the liquid obtained by partial removal of water from whole milk. Generally, the milkfat (butterfat) content of concentrated milk is not less than 7.5 weight percent and the milk solids content is not less than 25.5 weight percent. "Dry whole milk" is whole milk having a reduced amount of water. It generally contains not more than 5 percent by weight of moisture on a milk solids not fat basis. "Nonfat dry milk" is the product obtained by the removal of water only from skim milk. Generally, its water content is not more than 5 weight percent and its milkfat content is not more than 1.5 weight percent.
Thus, the term "cow's milk" includes, among others, whole milk, lowfat milk, skim milk, and whole milk which has been homogenized or whose content has been adjusted.
In the conventional manufacture of cheese, milk is processed to form a coagulum, which is further processed to produce a semi-solid mass called "cheese curd" (or "curd") and a liquid (whey). The curd contains casein, a small amount of lactose, most of the butterfat, minerals, and water. The whey contains the whey proteins, most of the lactose, some of the butterfat, minerals, and water. The curd is worked (e.g., stirred) and/or combined with certain flavor and taste producing ingredients, and/or ripened using bacteria to produce different varieties of "natural cheese."
One or more varieties of curd or natural cheese can be comminuted and mixed with an emulsifying agent to form, with the aid of heat, a homogeneous plastic mass called "processed cheese". Examples of processed cheeses include: "process cheese", "process cheese food", "process cheese spread", and "process cheese product". The various types of processed cheeses are obtained depending on the processing conditions, the specific varieties of curds or natural cheeses used, and the additional ingredients added during the processing.
"Imitation cheese" is a food made in semblance of any natural cheese variety, processed cheese, or other foods made of natural or processed cheese, in which casein, caseinates, and/or safe and suitable nonmilk ingredients, such as vegetable proteins and vegetable oil, replace all or part of the nutritive milk components normally found in the food being simulated.